CýPLAK AYAKLAR SEEKS SUPPORT FOR NEW DANCE STUDIO IN ÝSTANBUL
Rumeysa Ozel
Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Dec 3 2007
A dance studio that was once an idea without a home is now being
given shape by a handful of young artists who put their enthusiasm
for art above all else.
By putting all the money they’ve earned towards converting an iron
workshop into a new dance studio, the Ýstanbul-based Cýplak Ayaklar
(Bare Feet) Company aims to create a venue that will help young
artists in Ýstanbul realize their dreams.
The studio, which has been renovated step-by-step from its drainage
and heating systems to its kitchen and bathroom, has a giant dance
hall that can be used by art lovers when they want to listen to music,
dance and sing together or just rehearse a performance. The studio
even features a guest room for artists who do not have the energy to
go home in the late hours of the night.
On Tuesday night a select audience will be treated to a unique artistic
event titled "On Ayak" (Forefoot). A number of modern dance artists
are lending their support to the project, which will be performed at
Ýstanbul’s Enka Auditorium. Five Turkish performers, Aydýn Teker, Emre
Celik, Mustafa Kaplan, Þafak Uysal, and Tuðce Tuna will participate
in the show with the Cýplak Ayaklar Company, each taking turns to
display their own choreographed dances.
Before this studio was created the artists of Cýplak Ayaklar were
concerned that there was no proper place to dance when a new idea came
to mind, said Mihran Tomasyan, the troupe’s founder, in an interview
with Today’s Zaman. "We needed a proper place to conduct our rehearsals
or do whatever we want that cannot be performed in someone’s house,"
he said, adding that the studio and the company was open to artists
of all disciplines: "While creating something it is best if you don’t
restrict yourself to only one area. If you label yourself as a dancer
you may only be a dancer throughout your life.
We welcome all forms of art and artists. It could be anything."
Tomasyan also says that dance should not require a stereotypically
fit and young body. "It depends on your attitude towards dance. My
grandmother also takes place in our shows; maybe she is just walking
but nobody can walk like her, even if they took lessons for years. It
is something related to her age and her body weight," he says.
Dealing with the question of why
The Cýplak Ayaklar Company was founded in 2003, and their first show
delved into the question, "why?" Tomasyan explains, "The nucleus
of the ensemble came together for the first time during our first
performance, called ‘Why? Neden? Ýncu? Cima?’ in Ýstanbul." He adds
that they were seeking to create stage performances stemming from
their own concerns about life after graduating from Ýstanbul’s Mimar
Sinan Fine Arts University’s modern dance department. "The things you
are able to do after graduation are very restricted in Turkey. You
can either give dance lessons, dance in some pop star’s videos or
concerts or join some dance shows," he laments. To free themselves
from these restrictions, they founded Cýplak Ayaklar, coming together
for two or three projects every year. "Some of my friends and I were
living abroad and getting together to work on these performances. But
we made a decision this year and all moved to Turkey."
Cýplak Ayaklar is made up of artists from various disciplines that
have different backgrounds in contemporary, modern and traditional
dance. The company is confident that their efforts contribute to the
significance of modern dance in Turkey. "There aren’t many modern dance
ensembles in Turkey. Dancers tend to perform individually. What we
are trying to achieve here is to dance without a main choreographer,
with a collective understanding," Tomasyan stresses.
The ensemble emphasizes this point in its manifesto, "We can be made
of one string or 10 strings."
With a core of committed members, the company is able to branch out or
narrow their focus whenever they wish. "Our intention is to enhance
alternative perspectives with an inquisitive spirit. We all have
utopias, and this studio is a substantial part of them. But we are all
in debt now and we are hoping to pay the debt off with the proceeds
that will come from this performance," says Tomasyan, adding that
the studio is already being used as a productive venue for artists.
It is possible to say that the company has a certain political
perspective. It has taken on important and controversial issues such
as the assassination of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink and the
cause of conscientious objector Mehmet Tarhan. Although the content
of their shows is not always political, they are not afraid to take
sides. A few days after the assassination of Dink in front of the
Armenian-Turkish bilingual Agos newspaper, the Cýplak Ayaklar Company,
along with 80 supporters, held a 15-minute performance at the spot
where Dink was murdered. They covered themselves with newspaper sheets,
calling to mind Dink’s corpse. But Tomasyan is very much worried about
the exploitation of this issue, saying: "In Turkey people tend to
use these kinds of issues to sound politically correct. I doubt the
sincerity of some of the artistic events that were devoted to Dink,
for example. The performance we put on was an immediate reaction that
we would not choose to do right now. We do not regret what we did. We
are just uncomfortable with the lack of sincerity."
Another politically charged performance by the company was their
play "Mehmet Barýþý Seviyor" (Mehmet Loves Peace), which focused
on Turkey’s compulsory military service with a clear reference to
Mehmet Tarhan’s case. Asked whether including such political issues in
their performances would lead to the company being labeled as merely
"activists," Tomasyan says: "The political content of our shows only
comes from my choreographies. My work is primarily political, but
Candan [one of the other dancers in the company], for example, creates
performances about love. What do we do here is simply reflective of
ourselves, of whatever our main concerns are."
Although there is a serious lack of government support for modern dance
in Turkey, the members of the company are hopeful about the progress
of contemporary dance in the country. They state that especially the
opening of Garajistanbul was a real turning point for alternative
voices in Turkey. "The performances conducted there every Monday
and Tuesday offer contemporary dance in a very visible outlet," says
Tomasyan. However, he does regret the lack of financial support to
modern dancers from the government. "Unfortunately we are not placed
under the trusteeship of any institution. Even the Semaver Company,
which is one of the best in Turkey, receives only marginal financial
support from the Ministry of Culture. It is really hard to conduct
these performances without the backing of anybody but ourselves. We
all have other jobs to do. Some of us give dance lessons, some of
us do choreography for popular music videos, some of us dance with
popular shows like ‘Fire of Anatolia’ and some of us dance abroad,
but we all put all the money we earn into this company."
Asked about the feedback they have received from their audiences, the
dancers say they are very satisfied with the outcomes of their shows.
"In the contemporary world, if we are going to put people in a theater
for two hours and take their money, we try to send our them home
pleased with at least some aspect of our performance, be it the theme,
the choreography or the movement," the dancers say, adding that one of
the fundamental problems for modern dancers today is not being able to
make the objectives of their shows clear. "We have always tried to be
understandable and precise in our presentation and, as a consequence,
we have always played in front of packed halls."
The company, which has also performed in countries such as Armenia,
Poland, Belgium and Portugal, has close ties with other modern dancers
in Turkey, and they are participating in the organization of the
Ýstanbul Dance Festival (). Their cooperative
project with the Semaver Company, titled "Trainspotting," takes place
on Dec. 2-3. They will also stage "Dzzt Dzzt" at Garajistanbul on
Dec. 10. Tickets for the Dec. 4 performance of "On Ayak" to support
the new studio are YTL 50. For more information:
[Essence]
Cýplak Ayaklar company manifesto
Instead of being the hand that strums the guitar, the Cýplak Ayaklar
Company welcomes all guitar strings — as broken as they may be.
It welcomes all kinds of dreams. It would be nice to come together…
But even a single broken string is worth understanding.
It is against all kinds of discrimination and violence.
To think, discuss and talk would be nice.
It can be kept within the reach of children.
It prefers "to sing songs rather than listen to them."
It is self-acclaimed. It is in the trial phase and prefers to remain
in the trial phase forever.
"Dancer-performer-actor-musician-vi deographer…"
It dreams of building a multi-purpose structure. As Ýlhan Berk states
in his poem, "Cýplak Ayak" (Barefoot), it is "a dreamland" or it is
the search for this "dreamland."
–Boundary_(ID_Dh7XSW08YE6 1T2JEv9pXjg)–